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BurmaNet News: September 7, 2001
- Subject: BurmaNet News: September 7, 2001
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2001 22:22:00
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
September 7, 2001 Issue # 1880
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
NOTED IN PASSING: "That's not the case...He hasn't seen her for several
months."
U Lwin, Chairman of the NLD in response to Thai General Chavalit?s who
said that Khin Nyunt told him that he saw Aung San Suu Kyi every two
weeks. See BBC: Burma opposition denies 'power share'
INSIDE BURMA _______
*BBC: Burma opposition denies 'power share'
*AP: Source: Myanmar junta has proposed power sharing with Suu Kyi
MONEY _______
*Reuters: Asia Rice-Africa seen buying cheap Myanmar rice
*Xinhua: Customs Duties in First Four Months
*Xinhua: Myanmar Exports Less Teak, Hardwood in First Four Months
DRUGS______
*AP: Thai police seek more arrests in alleged money-laundering scheme
*Xinhua: Myanmar Exposes 1,536 Drug-Related Cases in Half Year
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*AP: Burmese population pursues democracy through labor unions
*South China Morning Post: Exiled opposition fears firms will exploit
'peace dividend'
*Arakan Rohingya National Organization: About 160 Rohingya Arrested
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
BBC: Burma opposition denies 'power share'
Thursday, 6 September, 2001, 11:24 GMT 12:24 UK
By regional analyst Larry Jagan in Bangkok
Burma's military rulers have proposed a power sharing arrangement with
the country's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Thai army officer
has said, quoting a top Burma general.
But a spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy
told the BBC he knew of no such proposal.
We are waiting for the military to make an offer
U Lwin, National League for Democracy
Thailand's Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyut made the claim
following a visit to Thailand by Burma's military intelligence chief, Lt
General Khin Nyunt.
"The talks are going well," he told journalists. "There may be good news
soon."
But the NLD spokesman, U Lwin, told the BBC "there was in fact no
dialogue process going on at present."
He added: "We are waiting for the military to make an offer."
U Lwin said the party was waiting for more releases of political
prisoners and were very hopeful that this might happen in the near
future.
Thai interests
The talks between Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's military leaders are on
the verge of a break-through, according to senior Thai military sources.
Khin Nyunt has just returned from a visit to Thailand
But it is in Thailand's interests to believe Khin Nyunt. The Thai
Government has gone overboard in supporting the Burmese military
government - with substantial aid packages for crop substitution
programmes and promises of major economic co-operation in the future.
The government is keen to deflect opposition criticism of its policy of
doing business with the junta as well as international criticism that is
bound to follow.
General Chavalit told reporters that General Khin Nyunt told him that he
saw Aung San Suu Kyi every two weeks.
"That's not the case" NLD spokesman U Lwin told the BBC. "He hasn't seen
her for several months."
Thai military sources told the BBC that Khin Nyunt actually said they
were seeing Aung San Suu Kyi through a channel of contacts rather than
direct face-to-face meetings. U Lwin said that this was the case, and a
military intelligence liaison officer was calling on Aung San Suu Kyi at
least once a week.
Slow change
This is not the first time that General Chavalit has told journalists
that there was about to be a political break-through in Burma. He told
journalists something similar in July. He is known to be very close to
Khin Nyunt.
Change in Burma is imperceptible and will not be in the form of major
milestones
UN special envoy Razali Ismail
Diplomats in Rangoon say the talks between the two sides are obviously
at a crucial stage. Aung San Suu Kyi appears very confident, they say.
But the fact remains that no one is revealing what, if any, the
substance of the talks are.
Aung San Suu Kyi has told diplomats and senior party members that she
had promised the Generals not to discuss the details of the talks with
anyone, and she was keeping to that even if the military were not
keeping their part of the bargain.
The signs in Rangoon seem to indicate that the talks may be on a verge
of a break-through of sorts, but according to senior NLD sources this
means movement from talks about talks to something substantive.
"We must remain patient" U Lwin told the BBC.
This seems to also reflect the UN special envoy, Razali Ismail's view.
"Change in Burma is imperceptible and will not be in the form of major
milestones," he told the BBC.
For the moment everyone is advising patience.
"Although we don't know what, things are happening," said a diplomat who
wanted to remain anonymous.
But the talks have been going on for nearly a year and there is growing
impatience among pro-democracy supporters inside and outside Burma.
They want a clear indication that the talks are moving beyond the
confidence-building stage and are becoming a substantive dialogue
involving some kind of power-sharing proposals.
___________________________________________________
AP: Source: Myanmar junta has proposed power sharing with Suu Kyi
September 6, 2001
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Myanmar's military junta has proposed a power
sharing arrangement with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and is
awaiting her response, a Thai source said Thursday quoting a top Myanmar
general.
This apparent breakthrough in national reconciliation talks was
disclosed by the junta's No. 3 leader, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, during his
talks this week with Thai Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh in
Bangkok.
The source, an army officer present during the talks, said Khin Nyunt
told Chavalit: ``There has been talk on sharing (power) and we hope to
hear good news soon if the other side accepts the proposal.'' Khin Nyunt
did not elaborate, the source said.
But U Lwin, the secretary of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy
party, said in Myanmar that he and other party leaders have no
information about the proposal.
``I cannot confirm this. We have been meeting Suu Kyi three times a
week and ... she has never mentioned the proposal. We have never heard
about this so called proposal,'' he said.
``We are still optimistic and we are hoping for the releases of
political prisoners,'' U Lwin said.
The Thai source quoted Khin Nyunt as saying that the junta has
``established a channel of contact and contacts have been made every
couple of weeks.''
The contacts were not necessarily direct talks between Khin Nyunt and
Suu Kyi but messages sent back and forth through intermediaries, the
source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Khin Nyunt's reported comments are the first solid information to
emerge from the closed-door talks going on between the junta and Suu Kyi
since October. The talks were kickstarted by a special U.N. envoy Razali
Ismail, who last month ended his fifth visit to Myanmar.
Khin Nyunt was in Thailand from Monday to Wednesday and held talks with
Chavalit, a former army chief known to be close to Myanmar generals.
On Thursday, the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted Chavalit as saying that
he had a positive feeling about Myanmar, also known as Burma.
``We expect to see every party in Burma join together to set up a
government to work for the people and the country,'' Chavalit was quoted
as saying.
The Nation newspaper quoted Chavalit as saying: ``He (Khin Nyunt) told
me that everything is good and maybe we will have good news soon. I
believe that the talks will succeed as the Burmese leaders are sincere
and serious in bringing peace to the country.''
The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after crushing a
pro-democracy movement that left hundreds dead. The regime called
general elections in 1990 but refused to honor the results after Suu
Kyi's party, the NLD, won convincingly.
Instead, NLD members were jailed and harassed or put under house
arrest. Recently, in a goodwill gesture, the government released in
batches nearly 160 political prisoners from jails and 32 NLD elected
representatives. Suu Kyi, the 1990 Nobel peace laureate, however,
remains under virtual house arrest.
______________________MONEY________________________
Reuters: Asia Rice-Africa seen buying cheap Myanmar rice
By Vissuta Pothong
BANGKOK, Sept 6 (Reuters) - African countries are likely to keep buying
low grade rice from Myanmar due to much lower prices than other origins
in Asia, traders said on Thursday.
Demand from Africa -- mainly for parboiled and low grade rice -- is
expected to continue through at least until the end of the year, traders
said.
``Rice trading in Myanmar has been very good in recent weeks. It is
moving very fast as the Myanmar origin rice is selling at lower prices
compared with others,'' said one trader.
``And as for the quality...not bad.''
Myanmar 25 percent broken grade has been quoted steady for over a month
at $120 per tonne, FOB.
Vietnamese 25 percent rice was quoted at $152-$153, versus last week's
$155 (RICE/ASIA1). Thai 25 percent broken grade was quoted unchanged at
$160.
Chinese 25 percent broken grade has barely been offered over the past
few weeks with Beijing holding stocks for domestic consumption, traders
said.
Thai white 100 percent broken rice was quoted at $146-$150 and in
Vietnam the same was quoted at $140.
``Buyers will always go to origins that offer them the most attractive
price,'' said a trader.
Traders said the export price in Myanmar was not expected to change in
coming weeks.
``The export price is likely to remain low as the government wants to
attract more buyers by maintaining its prices at a level that is
relatively cheaper compared to other origins in Asia,'' one trader said.
The rice trade in Myanmar, unlike other countries in Asia, is
controlled by the government.
Several deals for Myanmar rice have been inked over the past month,
when supplies in Vietnam were unusually tight and Thai rice prices were
high, traders said.
The latest deal was in late August, when London-based Louis Dreyfus
bought 40,000 tonnes for African markets, traders said.
The trading firm has contracted some 135,000 tonnes of Myanmar rice so
far this year, trade sources told Reuters.
This week, about five vessels carrying a total of 70,000 tonnes of rice
were being loaded at ports in Yangon for destinations mainly in Africa,
traders said.
Two more vessels were scheduled to be loaded next week, they said.
During January-August 31, Myanmar exported almost 300,000 tonnes of
rice, U Kyaw Tin, general manager at Yangon-based cargo surveyor Societe
Generale de Surveillance Myanmar (SGS) told Reuters.
Myanmar shipped a total of 110,000 tonnes of rice in 2000, mainly to
Bangladesh, compared with only 63,700 tonnes exported in 1999.
QUIET TRADE IN VIETNAM, THAILAND
The rice trade in Thailand and Vietnam, the world's top two rice
exporters, has been quiet this week amid weak demand from overseas
buyers, traders said.
``Not much business is going on this week in the Vietnamese rice
market...few buyers want to buy, saying the price is still high,'' said
a trader.
Indonesia, after buying Thai in recent weeks when Vietnam faced tight
local supply, was unlikely to return to Vietnam anytime soon unless
prices ease, traders said.
___________________________________________________
Xinhua: Customs Duties in First Four Months
YANGON, September 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar received 360.44 million U.S.
dollars from customs duties in the first four months of this year, 16.84
percent more than the same period of 2000 when it registered at 308.48
million dollars with the income, according to the latest figures
released by the country's Central Statistical Organization. The main
source of Myanmar's customs duties income comes from import through
normal trade and border trade, of which the import customs duties income
earned through normal trade accounted for 98. 79 percent of the total
during the four-month period. To promote agricultural development,
Myanmar government has exempted import customs duties levied on
agricultural implements including fertilizer, pesticide and improved
variety and machinery. According to official statistics, in 2000,
Myanmar earned 891 million dollars from customs duties and its foreign
trade totaled 4.086 billion dollars in the year, of which imports
amounted to 2. 567 billion dollars, while exports were valued at 1.519
billion dollars.
___________________________________________________
Myanmar's Cotton Yarn Production Up in First Four Months
YANGON, September 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar produced 1,951.38 tons of cotton
yarn in the first four months of this year, 30.12 percent more than the
same period of 2000 when it registered 1,499. 6 tons, according to the
latest data released by the country's Central Statistical Organization.
During the four-month period, Myanmar also yielded 7,702,278 meters of
cotton fabrics, up 26.5 percent from the corresponding period of 2000
which saw a production of 6,088,154 meters. Cotton is one of the four
major crops of Myanmar with the other three known as paddy, beans and
pulses, and sugar cane. Official statistics show that in 2000, Myanmar
produced 5,700 tons of cotton yarn and 22 million meters of cotton
fabrics, up 19 percent and 23.37 percent respectively from 1999. Other
statistics show that altogether 325,215 hectares of cotton were
cultivated in Myanmar in the fiscal year 2000-01 which ended in March
and the country targets to grow 348,300 hectares of the crop in 2001-02.
Meanwhile, to maintain the enthusiasm of cotton growers and to solve
their difficulties of shortage of capital used in cultivation, the
government provides annually more than 1 billion Kyats (about 2 million
U.S. dollars) of loans to the growers in the country in addition to
granting advance payment to them for the purchase of cotton.
___________________________________________________
Xinhua: Myanmar Exports Less Teak, Hardwood in First Four Months
YANGON, September 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar exported 106,832.5 cubic-meters
of teak in the first four months of this year, 2.83 percent less than
the same period of 2000, according to the latest figures released by the
country's Central Statistical Organization. Meanwhile, during the
period, the country exported 98,625.5 cubic-meters of hardwood, a
48.33-percent reduction from the corresponding period of 2000. Export
earning from teak and hardwood totaled 70.69 million U.S. dollars during
the four-month period, 12.43 percent less than that in the same period
of 2000. In 2000, Myanmar exported a total of 302,810 cubic-meters of
teak and 494,259.5 cubic-meters of hardwood with their total earning
amounting to 201 million dollars. Timber has become Myanmar's second
largest export goods after agriculture products and foreign exchange
earned through the export of timber accounted for about 20 percent of
Myanmar's total export earning. Myanmar's forest covers 50 percent of
its total land area, a 7- percent reduction from 1962 reportedly due to
indiscriminate felling of trees. Of the forest area, 18.6 percent are
reserved and protected public forest, the percentag
e of which is being targeted to increase to 30.
________________________DRUGS______________________
AP: Thai police seek more arrests in alleged money-laundering scheme
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Police on Thursday issued arrest warrants for
19 more suspects in an alleged money laundering scheme for millions of
dollars, a television news report said.
The Nation television said the suspects included ethnic Chinese and
Indian businessmen. Two of them have already been arrested, it said. No
other details were given. Police confirmed the warrants but refused to
give details.
The case came to light last Friday when a banker, Sirinra Mahamad, was
arrested and charged with illegally transferring dlrs 222 million abroad
from 1997 to 2000.
Sirinra is an executive of UOB Radanasin Bank but the transfers were
done by several obscure private companies sending money through another
bank to firms in United States, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.
Police suspect, but have released no evidence, that the three companies
were money laundering fronts for other illegal activities such as drugs,
gambling or currency speculation.
On Wednesday, the Economic Crime Investigation Division issued arrest
warrants for Sirinra's older sister, Rosarin Chorpradit, and Rosarin's
husband Pichet.
Their whereabouts are not known, though some unconfirmed reports said
they fled to neighboring Myanmar. Another warrant was reportedly issued
for a senior banker at Bangkok Bank, Suksawat Onnuam.
Police say the money was sent from three Thai companies where Rosarin
and her husband were major shareholders _ Eastern Petro Power,
Ratanakosin International and Thana Subthavee _ to supposed overseas
creditors.
Photos and testimony gathered by police indicated that the suspects
claimed to have close connections with leading figures in the previous
government of Democrat Party leader Chuan Leekpai.
It is not rare for financial scams to be tied to influential public
figure, but it is equally common for the alleged criminals to make false
or inflated claims of such connections.
One senior police figure, Col. Worapong Futrakul, the deputy commander
of the Economic Crime Suppression Division, has admitted personal and
business ties to some of the suspects, and been temporarily transferred
from his duties.
__________________________________________________
Xinhua: Myanmar Exposes 1,536 Drug-Related Cases in Half Year
YANGON, September 7 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar authorities exposed a total
of 1,536 narcotic-drug-related cases in the first half of this year,
seizing 474.91 kilograms (kg) of opium and 27.89 kg of heroin, according
to a latest compiled data of the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug
Abuse Control. The seizure, made by army units, police and the customs,
also includes 8,371 kg of marijuana, 6.14 million tablets of stimulant
drugs, 1,889 kg of ephedrine and 269.28 liters of phensedyl. During the
half-year period, the authorities punished 2,187 people for being
involved in the cases, it revealed. Earlier official statistics show
that in 2000, the Myanmar authorities exposed a total of 3,535
drug-related cases, seizing 2. 268 tons of narcotic drugs, of which
opium accounted for 1,552 kg, while heroin represented 158 kg. During
the year 4,881 drug offenders were punished.
Meanwhile, the authorities also destroyed a total of 9,317.9 hectares of
illegally-grown poppy fields in the country in the fiscal year 2000-2001
which ended in March. Following the declaration of its Mongla region in
eastern Shan state as an opium-free zone in April 1997, Myanmar began in
1999 implementing a 15-year drug eradication plan in three five-year
phases which costs 33,588.14 million Kyats (about 50 million U.S.
dollars) plus 150 million dollars covering 25 townships in the first
phase, 20 townships in the second phase and nine townships in the third
phase.
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
AP: Burmese population pursues democracy through labor unions
September 5, 2001
DATELINE: FORT WAYNE, Ind.
BODY:
Burmese immigrants in northeast Indiana are persisting in their quest
for democracy, more than 12 years after many families fled to the United
States to escape a military junta.
Fort Wayne is home to about 1,500 Burmese, making it one of the largest
contingents of Burmese dissidents anywhere in the nation.
Numerous Burmese immigrants were scholars, university professors and
prominent citizens in their homeland. Now, because of language barriers,
many are working in factories. But they have carried on their efforts to
pursue democratic ideals by joining labor unions and other activist
organizations.
"The Burmese are very passionate about democracy," said Tom Lewandowski,
president of the Northeast Indiana Central Labor Council. "A lot of them
have put their lives on the line. They've been in jail, their families
have suffered. They're courageous people."
Most of the immigrants fled Burma - also known as Myanmar - in 1988 to
escape a military government that seized power after a bloody crackdown
on pro-democracy groups.
For Tin Maung Maung Htway, a Burmese refugee who arrived in Fort Wayne
10 years ago, labor unions do more than seek better wages and benefits -
they help preserve democracy.
"We are looking for social and political democracy, especially in the
workplace," Htway said.
Labor unions are particularly important for immigrants who face language
and cultural barriers that make it harder to get a fair shake in the
workplace, Htway said.
Fort Wayne's Burmese community is a coalition of people who represent
various pro-democracy organizations, "but we work together as a family,"
Htway said.
Many Burmese want to show others how labor unions help protect workers.
"I don't want to use the word 'teach,' but we can share our
experiences," Htway said.
They look forward to returning home eventually, once political
conditions there have changed.
"We are working here to get democracy in Burma," said Peter Limbin, a
former member of the Burmese parliament who has traveled to 40 countries
seeking support for those left behind in his native land.
When the junta is overturned, "Then we will go back and work for our
people," Limbin said.
Aung Myint Soe, a former professor, said Burmese often face employment
discrimination because of language and cultural barriers.
And in slow economic times, immigrants are often the most vulnerable.
"There is a lack of democracy in Burma, but in the U.S. it flourishes
... because we have the right to establish unions," Soe said.
But, Soe added, in the non-union workplace, workers' rights are
trampled, "and it is no different than in Burma."
___________________________________________________
South China Morning Post: Exiled opposition fears firms will exploit
'peace dividend'
September 6, 2001
William Barnes
The Thai Government is determined to reap a "peace dividend" from
establishing good, perhaps even close, relations with Myanmar's military
junta, critics of the ruling generals said yesterday.
No one doubts that Thai authorities are serious in wanting their
neighbours to rein in drug traffickers in the bordering Shan state. At
the same time, influential businessmen are applauding the latest
rapprochement efforts, the critics said. "The subtext is business. When
you try to analyse what is going on, you always have to remember that,
ultimately, this comes down to who gets what deal," one observer said.
The regime's powerful intelligence chief, Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt,
yesterday ended what may turn out to be a watershed visit to Thailand.
One of the first people to greet him was Defence Minister Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh, who led the first foreign trade delegation to Yangon after
the 1988 massacre of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators that
rendered the military regime an international pariah.
Mr Chavalit was able to squeeze a series of lucrative logging and
fishing concessions from the cash-strapped generals. But relations later
soured, especially when Myanmar-based traffickers started to flood
Thailand with millions of amphetamine tablets in the mid-1990s.
Now, exiled opposition members suspect the relatively undeveloped
Myanmar is ripe for exploitation by entrepreneurs as soon as the
political negotiations under way between the military and opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi yield fruit.
"We worry very much that the Thais will rush in there without checking
to see what harm they might do. We would certainly advocate that every
businessman looking at Burma (Myanmar) count to 100 before jumping in,"
one opposition member said.
"There will be a time to invest, but it must be the right time."
Thai road contractors, mining companies, hotel operators and factory
owners have already indicated they expect to get lucrative contracts in
Myanmar.
___________________________________________________
Arakan Rohingya National Organization: About 160 Rohingya Arrested
Maungdaw,
September 04, 2001
By our Correspondent
>From last two weeks about 160 Arakanese Rohingya Muslims have been
arrested by Bangladesh police in Teknaf area of Cox's Bazar district in
Southern Chittagong. These unfortunate people have years of stay in the
villages of the Cox's Bazar district, mixing with the local people,
after they had left their homeland Arakan for their lives. They have
been put in jail while the police operation against Rohingyas is still
continuing.
It may be mentioned that occasional arrests against the Rohingya
settlers is a regular phenomenon in Bangladesh particularly in the
districts of Cox's Bazar and Bandarban. On the other hand, the Burmese
military have rejected their citizenship and have subjected them to
ethnic cleansing and large-scale persecution in Burma.
Source: Press & Publication Department, ARNO 4 September 2001
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